Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who beat Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Belgium last Friday, has explained how the Jamaican left her inspired after narrating to her about her great rivalries with America’s Carmelita Jetter back in the day.
Rising American sprint star Melissa Jefferson-Wooden says she draws inspiration from the legendary rivalry between Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter, as she looks to carve out her own chapter in women’s sprinting ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo.
Jefferson-Wooden has been on hot form in 2025, with her latest 100 meter win in Brussels in very unfavorable raining conditions an epitome of her inevitability.
With reigning champion Sha’Carri Richardson struggling through a stagnant year, Jefferson has seized the spotlight.
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Undefeated in all her 100m races this season, her stellar performance in Brussels has the athletics community buzzing; many are now convinced she could claim the crown next month.
Reflecting on her growth this season, Jefferson-Wooden underlined her approach to competition, regardless of conditions:
“As long as my body is warm, as long as I’m not feeling anything and I’m ready to go, then I’m always going to line up and do my best to compete no matter what the clock says,” Jefferson-Wooden Said.
Though many see her as the favorite, the reigning 100 meter Olympic bronze medalist believes there is still alot of work to be done.
“It feels good, but I don’t necessarily feel like I have a target on my back. This will be technically my second time at Worlds, but I’m going in still looking for a gold.
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“ I’ve never had one of those at a world championship, so I see myself more as the hunter than the hunted.”
Her dominant runs this season, often decided within seconds, are the result of consistent preparation:
“Consistency is everything. At the end of the day, practice makes perfect. What you see me do out there is nothing different from what I’ve been doing in practice—making sure each phase of my race is as consistent as possible, and then putting it all together so it looks like a really good race.”
When asked about lining up next to sprint legend Fraser-Pryce, who finished fourth in that race Jefferson-Wooden admitted it’s surreal:
“Definitely one of the people I looked up to. It’s crazy because she was talking about her rivalry with Carmelita Jeter, who in America is one of the greatest ever.
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“Being able to look back at their races and seeing how they went back and forth inspired me. It feels like the torch is being passed in a sense.
“I just want to go out there and show people that those rivalries were then, but you can look forward to more of those now—and I want to be part of that.”
Eyes on Tokyo
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden on Why Past Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce- Carmelita Jetter Rivalry Inspires Her
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden easily won her 100m heats at US Championships.
With the Tokyo showdown approaching, her mantra remains simple:
“Consistency is everything. Even though it was a little cooler out there today, it’s cool for everyone. My job is to make sure I’m setting myself up to be the best Melissa I can be no matter the conditions.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter—as long as my body is ready, as long as I’m disciplined and focused on my goals. That’s why you’ll always see me perform, because I know I’ve worked so hard for this. At this point, it’s all repetition.”
As Jefferson-Wooden continues her unbeaten run, she is not just chasing gold in Tokyo—she is stepping into the lineage of great rivalries that defined women’s sprinting. With Fraser-Pryce and Jeter as her inspiration, and Richardson waiting to rebound, the stage is set for Jefferson-Wooden to ignite the next era of sprint battles.
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